Author: Rhys Gregory

Gnoll Country Park and Neath Port Talbot Council’s Countryside & Wildlife Team have won the Best of the Best Biodiversity Award at this year’s Green Flag Awards. The national recognition celebrates the innovative and environmentally focused Gnollywood sign and project. This striking installation is far more than a visual landmark, it’s a haven for wildlife. The giant letters double as a bug hotel, offering safe nesting and hibernation spaces for pollinators and other insects. Close inspection reveals small holes filled with mud and leaves - clear evidence that solitary bees have already used the structure to safely store larvae over winter, helping to secure future pollinator populations. Councillor Cen Phillips, Cabinet Member for Nature, Tourism and Wellbeing, said: “We are delighted to receive this award,…

Neath Port Talbot Council has successfully prosecuted a Bridgend male for two fly-tipping offences, following a thorough investigation by its Waste Enforcement Team. Nicholas Blackwell, 35, of Madoc Close, Brackla, Bridgend, was sentenced at Swansea Magistrates’ Court on 18th December 2025 after he pleaded guilty on the 24th July 2025, to two offences under Section 33(1)(a) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The offences involved the unlawful deposit of household waste at locations in Croeserw and Glynneath in late 2024. The first incident, at Heol Y Felin, Croeserw, in October 2024, involved a large amount of household waste which had…

Newport City Council is celebrating after being recognised for a second year running at the recent Welsh for Adults Gwent awards. The council received the Work Welsh award, in recognition of our Cymraeg Gwaith scheme, having been awarded Employer of the Year at last year’s awards. The scheme is a partnership between the council, Welsh for Adults Gwent at Coleg Gwent, and the National Centre for Learning Welsh. The aim of Cymraeg Gwaith is to strengthen Welsh language skills in workplaces across Wales, offering diverse, flexible, fully funded training to employers. In the previous academic year, 64 members of staff were enrolled…

A rogue trader from Pembroke has been ordered to pay more than £6,000 after misleading a local resident into paying thousands of pounds for unnecessary roofing work. Twenty-five-year-old Douggie Whitbread, of Coldwell Terrace, Pembroke, persuaded the homeowner that they “probably needed a new roof,” before charging £4,350 for work that was either unnecessary or completed to a poor standard. Whitbread admitted two counts of fraud relating to a property on Griffiths Street, Ystrad Mynach, with the offences taking place between 12 August and 16 October 2023. He appeared before Cwmbran Magistrates’ Court, where he was ordered to pay a total…

On the 5th of January, councillors in Blaenau Gwent will scrutinise proposals for the borough’s Pride in Place programme. In September 2025, the UK Government announced that the Pride in Place programme will see Blaenau Gwent receive up to £20 million, over a period of 10 years. The UK Government’s Pride in Place Programme aims to support communities most in need and the local authority has been invited to identify and propose the communities within their areas to participate in the programme. Confirmation of the proposed selected neighbourhood area must be returned to UK Government by 9th January 2026 for approval…

Rare aquatic plants are to be given space to thrive along the Montgomery Canal at a new wetland habitat at Wern in Powys after it was opened in a ceremony by Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr MP Steve Witherden. Glandŵr Cymru, the Canal & River Trust in Wales, has created the new conservation area, just off the A483 near Coppice Lane, as part of the UK government-supported restoration of the canal working in partnership with Powys County Council with support from the Montgomery Canal Partnership. The canal is recognised as a Special Area of Conservation and a Site of Special Scientific Interest…

The First Minister of Wales, Eluned Morgan, has shared her New Year message for 2026, reflecting on the challenges of the past year while setting out a hopeful vision for the months ahead. In her address, she speaks about building a fairer and greener Wales, improving public services, supporting communities, and looking towards a more peaceful future at home and abroad. Here is the First Minister’s New Year message in full: “Blwyddyn Newydd Dda! Happy New Year! I hope you had a happy and peaceful Christmas. As this year draws to a close, I want to wish you a prosperous…

If you are looking to take on a challenge in Wales this year, the R4W group has a packed calendar of mass participation events right across the country. Run 4 Wales and Always Aim High Events have brought together road races, trail runs, triathlons, duathlons, cycling and swimming events, offering something for all abilities and interests. The season kicks off in February with the Nick Beer Llandudno 10K on 15 February. Starting on the Victorian promenade, the route loops around the Great Orme and offers sweeping views across Eryri, Anglesey and beyond. It has become a popular way for runners…

Welsh businesses will be prioritising investments in AI in 2026 (40%), according to new research from Lloyds’ Business Barometer. This compares to the 27% who said they’d be making AI investments last year.   A similar number of Welsh firms plan to invest in technology more generally (39%) in 2026, while nearly a third (31%) plan to invest in sustainability measures.   Alongside enhancing their technology (59%), Welsh firms will be focused on upskilling their staff (48%) and improving their productivity (35%) in the year ahead.  Improving sustainability (38%) is the area where the most Welsh businesses say they need extra support to achieve their 2026 goals.    The Business Barometer, which surveys 1,200 businesses monthly and which has been…

Drones and AI will be used in a new £2.5 million Aberystwyth University-led effort to wipe out malaria hot spots in Africa, supported by funding from the Gates Foundation. Malaria is one of Africa’s most devastating public health challenges, causing hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths each year. A new international research project in Zanzibar, led by Aberystwyth University, will target the aquatic habitats of mosquito larvae before they mature. The project will exploit the latest drone, satellite and artificial intelligence technology to help identify these sites more effectively. It builds upon success in previous projects that used smartphones and…